Seeing Differently: Franciscans and Creation

by Br Samuel, Nicolas Alan, Simon Cocksedge

This timely book brings together the stories of St Francis - his preaching to birds, rejection of wealth, caring for lepers, befriending animals and living simply, his poetry and hymnody in praise of creation that is still sung today - and the influential writings and examples of inspiring Franciscans who have followed him such as Clare, Bonaventure, Duns Scotus and Angela of Foligno, and draws them into conversation with contemporary concerns for our planet.

It gathers 800 years of accumulated wisdom and practical examples of how Franciscans have found ways to live at home and at peace with creation. It explores that long tradition and experience to ask what lessons can be drawn for today to challenge and enable readers to re-visit their own relationship with creation.

192 pages, Paperback

Published January 30, 2021

Reviews

[John-Francis Friendship · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three Franciscans, one a member of the Third Order and two First Order brothers, come together to offer this book delving into the way in which the charism of St Francis of Assisi reveals insights of profound importance into a subject which is relevant to our times and critical to the survival of humankind and all life on planet Earth.

The tap-root of Anglican Franciscan life is sunk deep into the soil and landscape of rural Dorset and the time Br. Samuel SSF spent there as Guardian in the 1990’s helped alert him to the reality of our need to take seriously the last of the Church of England’s Five Marks of Mission: ’To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth’. Against a background of a post-industrialised world whose relationship with nature have dis-integrated and conversations with ordinands whose theology questioned this ‘Mark’, the book sets out to show how Francis can help us see differently.

Simon Cocksedge TSSF draws on stories about Francis and creation, offering an in-depth view of the great ‘Canticle of the Creatures’, reminding us of the centrality of praise in the message of Francis. Nicholas Alan SSF introduces a number of early Franciscans (including Clare, Jacopone da Todi, Bonaventure and Angela of Foligno) whose lives reflect deep facets of Franciscan spirituality in relation to creation. Samuel SSF concludes with accounts of how Franciscans, today, witness to this spirituality through their lives. And in the final chapter two leading UN climate scientists who met with religious leaders in 2017 assert that our ecological crisis is as much a spiritual as technological. Whilst there was a brief mention of the Eucharist, my one criticism would be that the book ignores the many important writings of Francis which suggest his profound veneration of the Body and blood of Christ must have informed his veneration for God in matter.

This is a highly commendable book offering important contributions to the present debate concerning our response to the climate emergency, revealing how St Francis offers valuable, yet unknown or ignored insights. Christianity has unique gifts to offer which can easily be overlooked at a time when many are seeking to ‘do’ something. In looking beneath the outer, Francis’ heart was moved to joyful praise and profound penance as he realised God in all things. As each chapter ends with reflective questions this book could be used as a study guide for individuals or churches and needs to be read by a wide audience.

[Kate Brumby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read and discussed with a Reading Group.
Helpful discussion points included at the end of each chapter.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 'three voices' approach was really helpful, and it complemented well other reading on the theological distinctives of a Franciscan spirituality.